This copycat Chicken Salad Chick Sassy Scotty recipe is super simple to make and tastes just like the version from the restaurant. Studded with crispy bacon bits and Cheddar cheese, the creamy Ranch dressing-flavored chicken salad is something I find myself craving a lot.
Since the Chicken Salad Chick restaurant is a hike from my house, (and in an effort to reduce eating out), I've come up with what I think is pretty close to the original Sassy Scotty chicken salad recipe. Serve it with crackers, over a bed of lettuce, or on your favorite bread.
The great thing about chicken salad is that it's great year-round. It's perfect for potlucks, for meal planning, or for a quick lunch.
I absolutely love a salad trio: a scoop of chicken salad, egg salad, and potato salad or bean salad served over greens with a simple vinaigrette. It's a little bit of everything on a plate (and perfect for me since I'm often indecisive.)
Need some more lunch-y salad ideas? Be sure to check out my Carolina Caviar recipe. It's essentially a bean salad that would be a great addition to a salad plate. My Harvest Grain Bowl is also a great lunch option.
Some other lunch salads that I love are my macaroni salad with chicken, Mediterranean bowls with Trader Joe's Greek chickpeas, and Broccoli Salad with Bacon. (Can you tell I'm a salad-loving gal?)
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the following ingredients we need to make this yummy chicken salad recipe.
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- bacon
- mayonnaise (I like Duke's mayonnaise)
- celery
- ranch dressing mix
- Cheddar cheese
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking! Here's the step-by-step process:
First, cook the chicken breasts. Place the cooked chicken in a food processor and pulse until shredded.
Next, cook the strips of bacon in a skillet until browned and crisp. Remove to a plate and finely chop or crumble.
Then, stir together the mayonnaise and ranch dressing mix.
Finally, combine the chicken, bacon, mayonnaise mixture, celery, and cheese in a large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Hint: You can also use your heavy-duty stand or hand-held mixer to shred the chicken. Place the warm or hot pieces of chicken in a bowl and turn on the mixer. It'll do the shredding for you!
Substitutions
Need to make some ingredient changes? Here are some of my suggested substitutions:
- Chicken - instead of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cook 1 ½ lb tenderloins (chicken tenders) instead. You can also use shredded rotisserie chicken if you don't feel like cooking the chicken.
- Ranch - out of ranch dressing mix? Add some garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, and dried parsley to the creamy mayo instead.
- Cheese - feel free to use another cheese besides Cheddar. Smoked gouda or Swiss are great alternatives.
Variations
Here are some more ways to change up this recipe:
- Spicy Chicken Salad- add a little cayenne pepper to the creamy mayo mixture to give this recipe a little kick.
- Crunchy Nuts - add your favorite chopped toasted nuts to the chicken mixture for some additional texture. I love pecans.
- Buffalo - add a little buffalo wing sauce to make this chicken salad like the Buffalo Barclay recipe version.
Equipment
Here's what you'll need to make this recipe:
- measuring spoons
- cast-iron skillet
- metal tongs
- dry measuring cups
- small bowl
- large mixing bowl
- rimmed baking sheet
- food processor
Storage
Store the chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I don't recommend freezing any leftovers.
Tasty tip
This recipe yields about 4 cups of chicken salad mixture which will give you 6 to 8 regular-sized sandwiches. Or, 4 (1-cup) scoop servings to serve over greens or with your favorite crackers.
Frequently asked questions
If you're unfamiliar with the Chicken Salad Chicken restaurant, they have a variety of chicken salads. The Sassy Scotty is a delicious chicken salad with a creamy mayo base, Ranch dressing seasoning, crispy bacon, and Cheddar cheese.
My favorite bread at Chicken Salad Chicken is a croissant. I love the combo of a croissant and chicken salad. But use your favorite type of bread if you prefer white bread, wheat bread, and sourdough are all great options.
If stored properly in an airtight container, leftovers will last about 3 days in the fridge.
This is the traditional chicken salad option including these basic simple ingredients: cooked chicken breast, mayonnaise, celery, and secret seasonings.
I don't recommend it. As the chicken salad thaws, the veggies and dressing tend to get watery.
You can, but to get the flavor closest to the version in the restaurant, I recommend the ranch dressing mix. The powdered seasoning has a more concentrated flavor.
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🍽Get the recipe
Sassy Scotty Chicken Salad (copycat recipe)
Equipment
- measuring spoons
- cast-iron skillet
- metal tongs
- dry measuring cups
- small bowl
- large mixing bowl
- rimmed baking sheet
- food processor
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 cup mayonnaise (I like Duke's mayonnaise)
- 2 tablespoon Ranch dressing seasoning mix
- 1 stalk celery, minced
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and pepper and place in a rimmed baking sheet or in a baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 165°F. Remove to a plate.
- Cut the chicken into large chunks and add to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the chicken is shredded. Remove to a large bowl to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a cast-iron skillet until browned and crispy. Remove to paper towels to cool. Chop or crumble into small pieces.
- Stir together the mayonnaise and Ranch dressing mix in a small bowl.
- Add the bacon, mayonnaise mixture, celery, and cheese to the shredded chicken and stir until coated. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.
- Cook the chicken to a minimum temperature of 165°F.
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
AshleyFreeman says
This is one of my favorite make-ahead meal prep lunch recipes. Perfect for eating all week long!
Heather says
What recommendations do you have to make this without mayo? I do not like the flavor of mayo.
Ashley Freeman says
Hi Heather! You can use plain Greek yogurt or sour cream in place of the mayonnaise.
Jet says
Would love if you recipes included nutritional values and serving size.
AshleyFreeman says
Thanks for the suggestion Jet! I'll work on getting that added.
Tisha says
It's deliciously crave-worthy. Perfect with crackers, lettuce, or on your favorite bread!
AshleyFreeman says
Yes!!
Nicole says
I love being able to make this at home! So delicious!!
AshleyFreeman says
Me too Nicole! So glad you liked it!